Handbook of Bioenergy Crop Plants

is a plant molecular geneticist in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (SFRES) at the Michigan Technological University. He has 30 years of research experience in plant molecular biology. His current research focuses on wood cell wall development in bioenergy trees, with particular emphasis on unraveling the process of cellulose synthesis for improved bioenergy production. He teaches courses in genomics, molecular genetics, bioinformatics, and grantsmanship. He has authored over 160 publications and presentations, four patents and two books.

Devastating fossil fuel shortages loom in the future unless more renewable alternatives to energy are developed. This volume surveys the possibilities and challenges involved in biofuel production. The book explores the genetic improvement of bioenergy crops, ecological issues and biodiversity, feedstock logistics and enzymatic cell wall degradation to produce biofuels, and process technologies of liquid transportation fuels production. It also reviews international standards for fuel quality, issues related to biofuel-powered engines, life-cycle environmental impacts of biofuels compared with fossil fuels, and social concerns. The final sections profile a range of crops.

Section I. Conventional and Molecular Breeding for Improvement of Biofuel Crops: Past, Present, and Future. Genomics for Bioenergy Production. Genetic Engineering for Bioenergy Crops. In Planta Production of Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes. From Plant Cell Walls to Biofuels-Arabidopsis thaliana Model. Ecologically Sustainable Bioenergy Communities: Species Selection and Habitat Considerations. Biomass Harvest and Logistics. Chemical Engineering for Bioenergy Plants: Concepts and Strategies. International Fuel Quality. Biofuel Use from Bioenergy Crops: Internal Combustion Engines in Transportation. Life-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Biofuels and Biomass Electricity. Public Policies, Economics, Public Perceptions, and the Future of Bioenergy Crops. Section II. Cassava. Jatropha. Forest Trees. Maize. Oil Palm. Oilseed Brassicas. Sorghum. Soybean.Sugarcane. Switchgrass. Section III. Brachypodium. Diesel Trees. Minor Seed Oils. Lower Plants. Paulownia. Shrub Willow. Sugarbeet. Sunflower. Sweetpotato. Organic Farm Waste and Municipal Sludge. Vegetable Oils. Index.